After years of a DStv monopoly, the nation was understandably excited about the new entrant into the pay-TV market. Kwese promised cheaper subscriptions and not only that, customers can pay for Kwese using bond notes, something you cannot do for DStv subscriptions.

So Kwese is back and the subscription prices have not been changed. The model they have is a bit different to the one DStv has. For Kwese there is one bouquet, the customer chooses how many days they would like access to that one bouquet offering all the channels. It costs $5 to get access for three days, $9 for 7 days and $29 for a full month.

advertisement

On DStv the model is that you get fewer channels for less money but all for a full month. There are no options to pay for a period less than a month. This makes the comparison with Kwese a bit difficult. The best we can do is compare their compact bouquet with the Kwese bouquet since they are in in a similar price bracket. DStv has more expensive bouquets with even more channels but Kwese has no comparable offering so we will not look at those.

DStv recently reduced subscription prices for its bouquets. The DStv compact bouquet now costs US$25 whilst Kwese is going for $29 (payable in bond notes, swipable, EcoCashable etc.) It is now illegal to sell cash but before it was, you would need to pay a premium to get US dollars. The premium you would have to pay could be as high as $34 (at 35% premium for the USD) or as little as $28 (at 10% premium.)

We will also compare the 7 day Kwese option with the DStv Access bouquet simply because they are comparable in price. In terms of channels, for Kwese you get the full bouquet for the 7 days and for DStv you get less than you would on the Compact bouquet.

The 3 day Kwese option will be compared to the DStv Lite package, again because the price is comparable. Full bouquet for 3 days for Kwese and fewer channels for longer on DStv.

DStv is a Pay TV service owned by South African company, Multichoice. DStv provides a broad spectrum of entertainment, news and information channels subscribed to via bouquets. Bouquets have a pre selected number of channels. In Zimbabwe, the DStv service is provided by Multichoice Zimbabwe,... Read More About DStv

Kwese TV was a subscription-based Zimbabwean satellite and broadcasting network owned by Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, under Econet Media. The service was shut down formally on 1 November 2018. Customers that had bought the satellite could still watch Free to air content on their Kwese equipment... Read More About Kwese TV

Bond Notes are a currency of notes backed by a bond that the Zimbabwe government announced on 4 May 2016 by Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya. The $2 denomination of the notes was finally introduced on 28 November 2016. More notes were... Read More About Bond Notes

This article has a lot of misinformation because it is too generalised and promotes the use of the black market which is unethical. The compact boquet is now 25 dollars and one can just pay if an account holder at some banks like FBC without having to buy us dollars on back market

Dstv has caused us a number of inconveniences especially to people in the rural areas i mean areas not easily accessible and customers who bank with “other” banks. I think kwese is a better option for most of the people considering its payment options. LONG LIVE KWESE TV

I agree, this is not a balanced comparison. A critical omission is the actual channels on offer. The number of channels doesn’t mean anything alone. Some once off payment subscriptions like OVHD and WizTech (I’m not sure if it still works), offer 20 channels and more, but it doesn’t mean that since the price per channel is cheaper than both DSTV and Kwese, they are better. The subscriber must get value for money, be it from DTSV, Kwese or whatever else one decides to subscribe to. That’s what should be compared.

I think they’re comparable. He is comparing expenditure and possible value. That is very informative because it will be the day to day decision for many. Obviously these are not apples being compared, but differentiated products competing for same dollar.

Now that Kwese has its license in order, they can now focus on building content for Zimbabwe. Many complain that they don’t have local content but its because they need to sort out their license issue first then they can build local content

Comparison is Good it awakens the sleeping monopoly capitalists. However please take the opportunity to remind the main players that we need a Zim news channel. Like SABC, ANN, etc tinzwewo zvomuno. If they are scared of censorship why not just shoot video clips and pics without commentary . like the “no comment” clips shown on some Kwese channels

I think its now better for us subscribers. DS tv has been milking us for such a long time, at least with Kwese tv there are some channels available even if you haven’t subscribed. its a local company and it is concerned with our welfare as citizens

Kwese TV is not a local company. Other countries have had Kwese for some time now. Dr. Dish is to Kwese TV, what Multichoice Zimbabwe is to DSTV. Don’t let the name deceive you into thinking it is local and will be promoting local content.

Have you subscribed yet though? Because many are saying subscribers have a choice, but no-one is actually saying I’ve left DSTV and I’m now on Kwese 4 Life 😉

It is a local company Imi Vanhu Musadaro only that it is registered in Mauritius, just like ECONET (for obvious reasons). It is owned by our own Strive Masiwa. It was not introduced in Zimbabwe ahead of all those countries owing to suppresive laws of our country, otherwise it was meant to be launched in this country first (then). Kwese chishona (just a gentle reminder)

Lol. If it is registered in Mauritius it is a Mauritian company. Econet Wireless Zimbabwe is registered in Zimbabwe. Yes, Kwese is a Shona name, that is what deceives people into thinking it’s Zimbabwean company, which it is not. There is no Kwese TV Zimbabwe, if so, where are their offices. Don’t twist FACTS to suit your desires.

kwese is better in terms of everything, how can you pay a subscription in foreign currency while I’m in Zimbabwe, go to Zambia they pay in kwacha and dstv accept kwacha ,go to Tanzania they pay in shillings, why do they refuse bond notes here ,I will revert to kwese TV

Competition is good. Monopoly is bad. Coming of Kwese Tv is great to us Zimbabweans. Lets hope they will improve programming like including ZBCtv and all international sports eg football. cricket. rugby. netball. athletics etc

Like here in Malawi Kwese TV is coming and few people are having access for it, because it has come with a very expensive subscription fee. If possible we barg them look at matter just reduce the price of decoder as subscription fee.

I think $20 per month it’s OK because Dstv in South Africa is cheaper for citizens, you should also consider us as your family and dstv reduced its prices recently so it’s competition do favours to Zimbabweans